races gone wrong?

runningowl

last night (26/05/09) I raced in the Hallam Chase fell race. Didnt go to plan at all. I got to start to find i had been given a unfavorable handicap time(8.20). ok can deal with that.Dry night after two days of good sunshine, so decided to stick with road shoes.

Started race at good pace and went straight past two other racers on the road........then disaster, on the entrance to the famous den bank I it some dust and went over cutting my shins to bloody mess and deadening my calf. got straight up and literally chucked my self at den bank decline, even hurdling two walls/stiles and gaining two more places. everything seemed to be fine ......then came the climb to stannington and I couldnt feel my left calf at all and the pain from my shin was taking alot out of me and even the short sharp incline to the pub(normally fly up this hill on fartleks) seemed almost impossible . got to stannington church turnaround and wanted to quit a race for first time ever but managed to keep going.

Normally I can sprint downhill with no problem but pain was that bad that could only manage a controlled fall. I had nothing left when I reached the bottom den bank and had to walk/hobble/jog up a hill I can normally run all the way up. managed to get some wind back when got back to road and even had some guy from handsworth roadhogs trying to race me in a sprint finish. I COULD NOT SPRINT MATE.

Horrible race for me..............

silver linings are that I ran faster injured than some of my normally faster club mates , If didnt get injured I reckon I could have been in first 5 back over line and next year I might get a better handicap please john.

Anyone got any similoar bad race stories to cheer me up